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What might have been

Louis van Gaal has revealed he tried to sign Mats Hummels and Thomas Muller when he was Manchester United manager.

Hummels was heavily linked with a move to United following Van Gaal’s appointment in 2014.

The Germany international was a key part of the team which won the World Cup in Brazil but his Borussia Dortmund form plummeted in 2014-15 and United switched their focus to Real Madrid’s Sergio Ramos later that year.

And United offered Bayern £85m for Muller in the same summer but the bid was rejected and Van Gaal ended the transfer window by signing Anthony Martial on deadline day.

“I wanted to sign Hummels for Manchester United,” Van Gaal told Sport Bild. “But because at that time he was coming out of a poorer season, we didn’t do it in the end.

“I can confirm that I wanted Muller. But there was nothing we could do. FC Bayern made it clear that they would not sell him.”

When asked if Bayern had received an offer in excess of €100m for Muller, Bayern’s executive vice-chairman Jan-Christian Dreesen said at the time: “There really was such a thing. Then came a fax from England. For us, however, a sale of Thomas Muller was never discussed.”

(Image: PA Wire)

Hummels admitted he came ‘very close’ to moving to United. “Very close. There were talks, several times in the last few years,” he told the Daily Mail last season. “I had offers from England or one of the three big Spanish clubs. But nothing got close like from England.

“Van Gaal wanted me but he wasn’t the only one. It is difficult for me to play in England now. I’m 28 next month and I’ve signed here [Bayern Munich] for five years.”